Cash flow problems usually come from one of three sources: you’re not getting paid fast enough, you’re paying out faster than money comes in, or you’re profitable on paper but tied up in work that hasn’t converted to cash yet. The fix depends on which one applies to you.

Start by looking at your receivables. If customers owe you money and they’re taking 45 or 60 days to pay, your cash flow problem might just be a collections problem. Invoice immediately when work is complete, not at the end of the month. Set clear payment terms and actually enforce them. Send reminders before invoices are due, not after. Accept credit cards and ACH even if the fees annoy you. Getting paid in 3 days with a 3% fee beats waiting 45 days for a check.

For contractors and project-based businesses, deposits and progress billing make a huge difference. Collect 25 to 50 percent upfront before starting work. Bill at milestones instead of waiting until the job is done. If you’re paying for materials and labor before the customer has paid you anything, you’re essentially financing their project with your cash.

Look at the outflow side too. Can you negotiate longer payment terms with suppliers? Net 30 instead of due on receipt buys you time to collect from customers before you have to pay vendors. Stagger big payments so they don’t all hit the same week. If you know a slow season is coming, and in Massachusetts most contractors know winter is slower, start building reserves during the busy months.

Cut expenses that aren’t producing value. This doesn’t mean being cheap on things that matter. But most small businesses have subscriptions they forgot about, services they don’t use, or vendors they’ve never renegotiated with. A few hundred dollars a month in unnecessary spending adds up to real money over a year.

Build a cash reserve specifically for slow periods and unexpected expenses. Set a target of three months of core expenses as a reasonable starting point and automate monthly transfers to a separate account. When the slow season hits or a big customer payment is delayed, you’re not scrambling.

The most important step is knowing your numbers. You can’t improve cash flow if you don’t know when money is coming in, when it’s going out, and where the gaps are. A rolling forecast that looks 8 to 13 weeks ahead shows you problems before they become emergencies. If you see a cash crunch coming in six weeks, you have time to speed up collections, delay a purchase, or line up a short-term credit line. A bookkeeper for small business can help you build this kind of visibility into your finances.

Most cash flow problems aren’t really about having too little money. They’re about timing mismatches between when you pay and when you get paid. Fix the timing and the problem often fixes itself.